Reform A Focus Of National School Choice Week

Washington, DC (NAPSI) - Over 3,500 special events will be used to create what’s being described as the world’s largest-ever celebration of education reform.

School choice supporters plan to hold rallies, roundtable discussions, educational film screenings, school fairs and other events as part of the third annual National School Choice Week, Jan. 27 to Feb. 2, 2013.

The events are independently planned by parents, students, teachers and community leaders across all 50 states and are designed to raise awareness of the need to provide parents with access to better schools for their children.

The Most Challenging Issue

Andrew Campanella, president of National School Choice Week, believes that education reform is the single most important—and challenging—issue facing our nation.

Said Campanella, “With one American child dropping out of school every 26 seconds, our country must do much more to provide every child with access to a challenging, motivating and effective school.NationalSchoolChoice Week provides an opportunity for millions of people who want real education reform in our nation to have their voices heard.”

Campanella went on to say that student achievement can increase and graduation rates can rise if states and localities increase access to a variety of different educational options for families, from traditional public schools to public charter schools, magnet schools, private schools, online learning and home schooling.

“Schools are not ‘one-size-fits-all,’ because every child has unique interests and needs. Parents deserve the opportunity to select the right learning environment for their kids, regardless of where they live or how much money they earn,” added Campanella. “Time and again, research shows that when parents are empowered to make these choices, children benefit tremendously.”

The effort has drawn diverse support from celebrities—such as Bill Cosby—and elected officials from both political parties. But Campanella said that anyone who supports the concept of school choice can plan and organize an event.

More information, including tips on planning events and a list of planned public events, is available online at www.schoolchoiceweek.com.